1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mechanism for permitting quick attachment and detachment of a seat on a vehicle without tools and more particularly to a totally concealed mechanism which will lock the seat against lateral movement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of seat mounting mechanisms are known for detachably mounting a seat on a vehicle such as a tractor. It is also known to mount the seat on a support structure carried by the tractor that permits the seat to be pivoted to a tipped-up position against the tractor steering wheel to shed water in the event of rain.
Such seat mounting mechanisms permitting seat detachment are generally satisfactory if the seat is mounted inside a lockable vehicle. However, prior seat mounting mechanisms present certain long-standing problems when used on vehicles such as tractors having exposed seats and these problems have not been satisfactorily solved b prior designs. One long-standing problem is that of unauthorized removal of tractor seats for purposes of theft or simply for wanton vandalism. As is well known, tractors frequently are left outside and unattended, sometimes for long periods of time, and the seats thereof are commonly exposed to such theft and vandalism.
Prior seat attaching mechanisms use exposed attaching hardware requiring simple tools to detach or use hand operated attaching mechanisms such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,917 for Seat Pedestal, issued May 26, 1987 to J. A. Takace; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,952 for Detachable Van Seat, issued Feb. 21, 1989 to J. Coleman. These patents are typical of prior art seat attaching designs. Such designs, while providing a capability to attach and detach the seat without tools, use expensive unconcealed attachment mechanisms, the operation of which can be readily understood. The consequence is that these seat attachment mechanisms can be easily operated by anyone desiring to remove the seat.
Another long-standing problem that exists with known designs is their mechanical complexity which requires the use of expensive hardware that is especially fabricated for the given seat attaching mechanism. Such prior seat attaching designs also require expensive, time-consuming assembly of components and the use of attaching means such as bolts, latches and the like which significantly increase the total cost of the seat.
What is needed is a strong, rugged seat attach and detach mechanism of simple design which affords the desired quick attachment and detachment of the seat by the operator without the need to use tools and which does so in a manner that totally conceals the attaching mechanism and its method of operation from those who are unfamiliar with the design. More specifically, the need is for a concealed attaching mechanism designed so that neither careful visual examination nor careful mechanical manipulation of the seat will disclose the operational steps required to detach the seat from the tractor and thereby minimize theft and wanton vandalism. The mechanism needs to be of utmost simplicity to reduce costs by eliminating the need for any separate fabricated seat attaching components such as locks, latches and the like while permitting the seat to be quickly and simply attached, locked against lateral movement and, when desired, detached in a non-obvious manner without the use of tools. These problems and needs have not been met by known seat attaching mechanisms.